Virtual Care Access and Health Equity during the COVID-19 Pandemic, a qualitative study of patients with chronic diseases from Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the widespread uptake of virtual care in Canada; however, virtual care may also create new barriers to health care. The purpose of this paper was to explore patient perceptions and concerns around virtual care access.

Methods

Between February and April 2020, we conducted semi-structured interviews with participants from four chronic disease clinics (stroke, epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, obstetrics medicine) in a mid-sized academic hospital in Southern Ontario, Canada. Consecutive sampling was done by including the patients receiving virtual care in those months. Caregivers were invited to participate in the event that patients were unable to participate in the interview. Thematic analysis was employed to identify overarc

SUBMITTER: Chan-Nguyen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8808134 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature